A year after Hurricane Irene and the storm's only visual remnant on the road linking most of North Carolina's Outer Banks to the mainland is a prefab bridge crossing a breach scoured between Pamlico Sound and the Atlantic.

Topsail Reef is at the mercy of Mother Nature. The eight buildings, housing 240 homes needed protection from some major erosion, caused by a combination of Hurricane Irene, winter storms and high tides. The condo complex elected to have sandbags installed as a temporary fix.

With all the jobs in our area that rely on the beaches and waterways, dredging is a big deal. The Army Corps of Engineers just received hurricane supplement money to start restoring channels damaged during Hurricane Irene.

A North Carolina legislative committee responding to the effects of Hurricane Irene and preparing for future storms has made several recommendations but no appeal for additional funds for the recovery.